Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[buzzy bee]

Hi

I need to make a rounded corner, by that I mean like the corner of a cube, but round vertically and horizontally, there must be a name for it, but I don't know it.

It will be made of 3mm plate or thicker.

I am thinking of making a male and female former, and forming it between the two, or do I form it over a former by hand? Both will be done hot, to allow it to stretch more easily.

Any ideas or thoughts would be appreciated.

Cheers

Dave

[ukdave2002]

Have you got a big hammer!!

[buzzy bee]

Hammers are no problem! Might even find an air hammer...

[Uncle Alec]

Make one in wood; then make paper pattern; cut through the paper so that you have a profile to cut metal from a square corner; cut the 3mm to size and scribe each of the three flat sheets on the meeting corner. You will then have a profile that will, after the box is made and welded, heat to red and dress down into the corner shape you require.
Then tig-weld the butt joints, and dress with a file to tidy.
I did this a few times. TBH it wasn't clinically uniform, but with 3mm you have a fair bit to go at with the file, and just maybe it doesn't have to be super-accurate.

[ukdave2002]

I have made concave formers in big chunks of wood, by using an angle grinder "end on" it creates smoke as the wood burns , but you can create quite accurate shapes. With thinner metal I would heat it and hammer with a bossing mallet, don't know if you could scale this approach up to suit 3mm.

I have acquired an English Wheel, but it wont be any use for the thickness you are working with

Dave

[troutrunner]

[buzzy bee]

Hi

I know that 16 mm plate or similar will form over a steel former to give what I am after, with a few pepper pots and a couple of sledge hammers over a day or so, and likewise in a Forming press if you have one. I wondered about replicating it when it was hot in a vice or even a bench press.

I hadn't thought about wood, not sure it would be man enough, I could be wrong.

I can't access that other Forum, so will have to look into joining up, don't like doing that just for looking, but it does sound an interesting and handy place, so maybe a good idea.

Cheers

Dave

[buzzy bee]

Double curvature sounds about right.

Cheers

Dave

[troutrunner]

[buzzy bee]

Well yesterday I had a play, don't think it is curved enough, but that is due to the former needing more work.

What does everyone think?

I thought it was quite good for a first attempt:-





Cheers

Dave

[colwyn500]

I would be very happy with that. The boy done well! Great when you get photos to go with posts.

[D4B]

I would be very happy with that Well Done Buzzy dude